Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Bring On Your Wrecking Ball

On Monday evening, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed live on the Jimmy Fallon show. At age 62, Springsteen still has no idea how to just mail in a performance. As vital and vibrant as ever, Springsteen showed everyone once again why he's the best that ever was. The song "Wrecking Ball," which serves as the title track for his next album (available March 6th everywhere), seemed like a throwaway romp when he performed it on the last tour, ostensibly in honor of the tearing down of the Meadowlands. And yet, with just a few word twists, it serves as an incredibly worthy anchor to what is going to be an epic album. In context to the rest of the album, the protagonist stands defiant telling all the forces that serve to bring him, us, down to step to the line, take their best shot. And even when you knock down the structure, the spirit always remains. A powerful reminder, indeed. I can't help but see this as the rest of the story to the wide-eyed teen that was running from anything and everything some 37 years ago. Now in his mid to late 50s, having survived the rattle and hum of every day life, he now knows that you can run but you can't hide. There are forces greater then us all that can take you down even when you've tried to do everything right. And yet, and yet, not even the wrecking ball can tear us down. Remain resolute, if you think you've got the balls.

Enjoy this video from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and please, please, please buy the album: